The Masked Dueler (CSP AU Version)
by RaisingHeartExelion
Summary: Requested by Springflowerangel. Miyuki is a shy and insecure girl who gets to know her idol, Estelle, by Leo and Luna. One day, she overhears how someone wants to hurt Estelle and decides to chase after the bad guys in her alter ego, the Masked Dueler, who is the opposite of the usual shy girl. Can she use her Deck to protect her friends from the danger? Cover by Springflowerangel.
1. Part 1

**This two-shot is a request from one of my long-term and closest friends both here on FanFiction and DeviantArt;** **Springflowerangel**** here on FF and ****BlossomCherrie**** on DA.**

**She requested me to write an AU, or a "What If" version of my "Crimson Star Priestess" with her YGO 5D's OC, Miyuki Inoue, and this is the result. It ended up much longer than I first anticipated, so that's why it ended up being a two-shot. I hope you like it, sis!**

**The cover is made by ****BlossomCherrie****. Check out her gallery on DeviantArt for more of her amazing work.**

**The two-shot is going to be in normal point of view all the way to the end.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs! Miyuki Inoue and Sakiko belong to Springflowerangel!

**XXXXXXXXXX**

A lone fifth grade girl was walking down the corridors of Duel Academy with her head down, trying to blend herself among the other students that were busy chit-chatting with their friends after the school day. She was using her long pink hair as a curtain to try blocking the view of her sad face. She had failed hard at today's Duel lesson again. She had a long record of losing almost every single Duel in her class. She had only been able to win whenever her opponent overlooked something or left a spot open.

Miyuki was a shy girl in nature and didn't really like making eye contact with people she didn't know or didn't like. That was often why she preferred staring down on her feet while walking. She was clutching her books hard to her chest as she headed towards the library to study a bit for an upcoming test.

"Miyuki!" a boy's voice called.

Miyuki stopped in her tracks as she felt her heat beating in surprise and excitement. She recognized the voice and turned around to see a pair of twins jogging toward her. Both the twins had teal-green hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin, but one of them was a boy and the other was a girl. They had transferred to Duel Academy couple of months ago after being homeschooled and quickly got some new friends. Miyuki got surprised when Luna, the twin girl, took the initiative to talk to her. She had been a wallflower for a long time, so she got happy when she became part of a group and gained a few friends.

However, what made her even happier was the male twin, Leo. Whenever she lost a Duel, Leo always did his best to cheer her up. It was either by words, a pat on the shoulder, or giving her something sweet to eat after school.

"Hi, guys…", Miyuki mumbled shyly as the twins reached her.

"We were looking for you in the classroom, but we didn't find there", Leo spoke up.

"Why…?" Miyuki blinked her magenta eyes confusedly.

"We were wondering if you'd like to study with us", Luna said with a small smile. "You know, for the test."

"Oh… What about the others?" Miyuki asked, feeling a tiny smile growing on her lips.

"They couldn't make it today", Leo shook his head before grinning. "But don't worry! We asked Yusei to help us with the math and he said yes!"

"Yusei? The Yusei Fudo who won the Fortune Cup?" the pinkette questioned.

"Yep, that's him!" Leo nodded as he got a proud smile. "He's the hero of all time, and I want to be just like him!"

"Then you better study hard to reach Yusei's intelligence, Leo", Luna laughed sheepishly.

Miyuki tilted her head a bit to the side as her smile grew wider by the twins' interaction. She was an only child, so she kinda envied those who had a sibling. She also thought swiftly that she could ask Yusei for advice how to build a better and stronger Deck.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The children took the bus to the Fountain Plaza to get to the garage where Yusei, Jack, and Crow were living. Miyuki looked around in the plaza in awe. It looked nothing like the more modern and futuristic part of New Domino City. This area felt like it was based on old times in the early and middle 20th century, and she liked it. There was a feeling of peace and silence, not the hectic life as in downtown.

"Hey, isn't that Estelle's Runner?" Leo said.

Miyuki turned her attention at the twins as they walked closer to a slight bigger building in the plaza. A sleek and sporty crimson Duel Runner with some white accent was parked next to a double-door that led to the garage where they were heading.

"It is", Luna nodded as she turned to Miyuki. "Estelle is another friend of ours. I'm sure you're going to like her. She's very kind to children."

"Estelle…", Miyuki mumbled before her eyes widened in surprise. "You mean, Estelle Malmström who participated in the Fortune Cup and had Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

"Yep, that's her, alright!" Leo nodded as he rubbed the bottom of his nose with a finger. "She's like a real dragon tamer with her wild dragon Deck!"

"But her last name is now Goodwin and not Malmström", Luna added.

Miyuki felt the butterflies in her stomach get restless by excitement. She remembered the Duels she watched on the television of the Fortune Cup. She had noticed how Estelle seemed to be on the slight shy part, but she grew more confident by each Duel until the final when she lost to Yusei.

That was enough inspiration for the pinkette to try becoming a strong Duelist as the brunette. It was also her dream to meet Estelle in real life and have a small chat with her. Maybe she could ask both her and Yusei to build her Deck.

Leo pushed the double door open with a loud bang. "Yusei, we're here!"

The twins and Miyuki looked quickly around in the garage. It was empty, except for two Duel Runners; one red and one black. Just then, Crow was walking down from the kitchen/living room as he put on his Blackbird jacket.

"Hey, little fellas!" he greeted the children with a big grin. "You here for a group study?"

"Yep!" Leo nodded before looking around. "But where's Yusei? He promised he would tutor us!"

"Leo, he could be upstairs in the kitchen or in his bedroom", Luna sweat dropped. "The garage is not the only room in this house."

"Got that right, Luna", Crow laughed softly before he noticed the newcomer. "Oh? Is that little cutie a friend of yours?"

Miyuki blushed hard before she hid behind Luna, holding the twin's shoulders while leaning her head down.

"She's Miyuki. And sorry, she's a little shy", Luna explained.

"That's fine", Crow smiled as he put on a helmet. "Kokoro was the same when I first met her. Anyway, I've gotta go! Deliveries don't fly by themselves!"

Miyuki looked over Luna's shoulder and watched as Crow walked over to the black Duel Runner and packed a few boxes at the back of it and secured them tight with a net. She snapped out of it when Leo stepped forward and took one of her hands, causing her to blush a bit.

"C'mon, Miyuki! Let's head upstairs!" the male twin grinned brightly.

The children walked upstairs while Crow drove out of the garage and telling them to have fun. As the twins and Miyuki came closer to the next floor, the pinkette heard two voices talking to each other. Both voices sounded calm and gentle, and for a second Miyuki got the feeling how the voices seemed to mend together into one in perfect harmony, as if they were meant for each other. A soft giggle then erupted when the other voice told them something funny.

"Hi, Yusei, Estelle!" Leo greeted loudly as he walked up first to the kitchen, still holding Miyuki's hand.

Miyuki peeked over Leo's shoulder, only to feel her eyes widen in surprise. Two young adults sat on the couch while having a drink of juice before they turned to the newcomers. One of them was a young woman with long brown hair, blue eyes that hid behind a pair of square/rectangular glasses, and ghostly pale skin. She was dressed in a leather jacket that was zipped open to reveal a crimson shirt, black pants, and dark brown boots. The other young adult was a man with black hair that looked like an upside-down crab with golden streaks, royal blue eyes, and slight tanned skin. He was dressed in a black sleeveless shirt with a weird red emblem on it, jeans, and brown boots with some round orange gems.

The pinkette felt how her heart started pumping more blood as her nervousness and excitement grew for each second. She was standing in front of Yusei Fudo and Estelle Malm-. No… Estelle Goodwin.

"Hi, little ones", Estelle greeted with a soft smile as she held her glass of juice in her hands. "Here for the group study and have Yusei as your private teacher?"

"Yep!" Leo nodded while, finally, letting go of Miyuki's hand. "But what are you doing here, Estelle?"

"You could say I came here to kill some time", the brunette replied before her eyes turned to the twins' classmate. "And who is your friend?"

Luna patted Miyuki softly on her shoulder from behind. It came unexpectedly, so the pinkette released a soft yelp sound, causing Leo to chuckle behind his knuckle.

"She's our friend, Miyuki", the female twin introduced her. "She's a little shy though."

"Shy, huh…?" Estelle mumbled.

"There's no need to be shy here, Miyuki", Yusei said softly as he stood up from the couch. "Make yourself at home."

"Umm… Thank you", Miyuki said before bowing softly.

Yusei grabbed a couple of collapsible chairs from a corner of the kitchen slash living room and put them down around the coffee table. Leo and Luna walked over to the table and put down their schoolbags to pick up the books needed for the group study. Miyuki hesitated a bit before she saw Estelle patting the now empty spot next to her on the couch while having her eyes on her. The pinkette walked slowly over to the couch and settled down while removing her schoolbag on her back.

"You don't have be so nervous, Miyuki", Estelle told her with a calm voice. "None of us bite."

"But your dragons do", Leo chuckled with a grin.

"They know when to behave", Estelle retorted before turning back to Miyuki. "I may not be a professor in math, like Yusei, but if you've got questions, you can ask me too."

Miyuki didn't know why, but she started to calm down now that she was so close to her idol and that Estelle wasn't as different as she first thought she was.

"Thank you, Estelle", the pinkette smiled softly.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Miyuki got to learn more about Estelle on that day and they had slowly started forming a sister-bond. She felt safe and comfortable around the young woman and she accepted her. They grew close in the next few weeks and Miyuki visited often the Goodwin Mansion to see Estelle, so they could talk about how her day was or Duel each other for practice.

Today, Miyuki had come straight from the Duel Academy to talk to the brunette about another classmate who loved harassing her. The two of them sat on a bench in the large green garden in a corner of the island where the mansion was located.

"Sakiko loves treating me like I'm the dirt beneath her shoe, but I hate it!" Miyuki growled, tugging on the end of her school uniform jacket. "She thinks I'm weak because I keep losing Duels at school and I don't take it seriously, but I do!"

"I know you do, Miyuki", Estelle said calmly as she patted the pinkette's head. "And I know how hard it is with bullies. I've got my own share of experience in my childhood."

"What did you do to stop them from harassing you?" Miyuki wondered.

"Honestly… I didn't do anything."

"What?"

"I didn't know how to handle bullies. I was young and had autism, so my brain worked in a different pace and direction than a 'normal' brain. The only thing I could do was to try ignoring them, but I wasn't good at it at that time. However, I never stopped going to school, no matter how much my stomach hurt by nervousness."

"Um… What's autism?"

"It's a neurological developmental disorder. The brain is born differently and works in a different way than the norm. That includes problems with social contact and interaction. Another thing is the brain works twice as slow and you grow up in a slight slower pace than the others."

"It sounds very complicated."

"It is. You're too young to fully understand the whole concept right now, but I'm sure you'll learn more as you get older."

"But problems with social contact and interaction… Was it hard for you?"

"Very hard. I was very shy as a child and didn't know how to interact properly around other children. I rarely took the initiative to seek contact with others because I didn't know how to take the first step. I'm much better now, thanks to lots of training, but I still struggle with it a bit."

Estelle stopped talking as her body suddenly went rigid. Miyuki noticed the change and watched the young woman turn her head around, as if she was sensing something. The pinkette looked over Estelle's shoulders and saw Yusei, Crow, and a blonde young man walking towards them. She quickly recognized the third man; it was the former King of Games; Jack Atlas.

"Yusei, Jack, Crow", Estelle greeted them as she stood up from the bench. "I didn't expect you three today."

"Yeah, sorry we came unannounced, but we've got a problem", Crow said while rubbing the back of his head before he spotted Miyuki on the bench and grinned brightly to her with a soft wave with his hand. "Hi, Miyuki!"

Miyuki waved back softly with her eyes down, still feeling a bit shy around people she barely knew.

"What is it, guys?" Estelle questioned.

"It's about _them_", Yusei replied.

Estelle's eyes narrowed as she understood what the young man meant with that. She turned around to face Miyuki with a nonchalant expression. "I'm sorry, Miyuki, but I'm afraid I can't ignore this."

"It's okay", Miyuki shook her head before she stood up from the bench and grabbed her schoolbag. "I need to go home anyway."

"Okay. Be careful on your way home."

Miyuki nodded and bowed to the three young men before she walked past them to leave the group. However, she got curious about the matter, since she had a feeling it was something serious, so as soon as she turned by a corner, she hid into the bushes and crawled back without making any loud noise. She had to strain her ears to listen to the conversation between Estelle and the men.

"Where and when did they appear?" Estelle asked.

"I was on my way home after a ride with my Runner when that creep with grey hair and eyepiece showed up all of the sudden", Jack explained.

"Grey hair… That's Primo", Estelle nodded to herself. "Did he try to Turbo Duel you?"

"That's the weird thing. He didn't want to Duel."

"Really?"

"Yeah, instead, he had a message for us Signers. He said 'Signers, New Domino City shall soon be invaded by hundreds of Ghosts and bring chaos by obliterating every single Duel Runner, unless you don't turn over the Priestess to Illiaster'."

"What?!" Estelle exclaimed in shock.

"That was our reaction too", Crow said. "I still don't get it where they can have an army of that Duel-Bot Yusei Dueled couple of months ago."

"Why do you think they could be after you, Estelle?" Yusei questioned. "I suspect it has something to do with your Mark and connection to the Crimson Dragon, but…"

Miyuki blocked a gasp from her mouth by covering her lips with both her hands. Someone was after Estelle and they wanted to hurt her?!

Estelle looked down as she wrapped her left arm around her waist and rested her right elbow on that arm and covered her lips with her point finger, thinking deeply. "They might be after me because of my powers. They need Ener-D to complete the Circuit and, maybe, they figured my Mark contains a more powerful energy that they want to absorb from me. That's my theory, but I could be wrong."

Miyuki had heard enough and crawled slowly away from the group while making sure not to step on a twig and accidently expose herself. She made it out and ran as fast as she could with her heart up in her throat.

"Who wants to hurt Estelle…?" Miyuki mumbled to herself while gasping softly. "Is it an enemy of Goodwin's or someone else…?"

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Miyuki had a hard time doing her homework in the evening. All she could think about was who and why they wanted to hurt Estelle. She grunted as she couldn't concentrate on the book in front of her, so she stood up from her desk and walked over to her bed before she fell down on it on her back.

She stared at the ceiling with dazed eyes while thinking about her new friend. The brunette had helped her to improve her Deck and had even given her a few cards, both from her personal collection and a few from the Goodwin household. Her main Deck had improved a lot, but she only used it for her alter ego.

Alter ego…

Miyuki sat up on the bed with a sudden but determined expression. She got off and walked over to her wardrobe before opening it. She pushed her dresses aside until she found the outfit she was looking for. She grabbed it and threw it on her bed along with a clean light blue skirt, black long-sleeved collar shirt, and a grey detachable collar with a lilac ribbon. The pinkette quickly changed her clothes and put on the ones she had just chosen. The main piece was the signature slight dirty blue coat with two tails on the front. She put on a pair of black knee-height boots with blue edge and a pair of black fingerless gloves with a heart embroidered on the back of the hand.

The girl watched herself in the mirror as she felt the courage and confidence raise in multiple levels than she usually was in the Duel Academy or around people. She nodded to herself before adding the last piece; a black mask that had one yellow narrowed eye while her left eye was exposed to the world.

In this form, she was known as the vigilante Duelist; the Masked Dueler.

The Masked Dueler grabbed a light pink Duel Disk with magenta gemstones and inserted her main Deck. If she couldn't do her homework, she was going to take a "walk" outside to "clear" her mind with a Duel.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

It had gone a couple of weeks since that day. Miyuki had almost scouted the entire city as the Masked Duelist, but no one knew anything about this Primo person and the Ghost-thing, so it ended up fruitless. The girl also had to change her night schedule when she realized the twins and her few other friends noticed a change in her behavior. She barely got any sleep, so she only went out as the Masked Dueler on Friday and Saturday nights.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Tonight was a Saturday night, so the Masked Dueler was scouting an abandoned area by the harbor. She had heard some rumors that there was an illegal activity going on and she had a feeling it was related to that Primo person who wanted to hurt Estelle.

The Masked Dueler snuck among the large containers by the harbor as she noticed it was eerie quiet, and there was something in the air that felt off. She knew she was on the right track, but the atmosphere still gave her the chills.

The vigilante jumped slightly when she heard a thump not so far from her. She turned quickly around, ready to activate her Duel Disk when she saw a rat running away from one of the containers. The Masked Dueler sighed in relief while her heart slowly calmed down after the sudden adrenaline rush.

"It appears we have a small flower that doesn't belong here", a male voice spoke up.

The Masked Dueler's exposed eye widened before she turned around to come face to face with a pale young man who looked like he could be around Estelle's age. He had a white cloak-like clothing over his head, but the girl saw a hint of grey hair underneath it. He was dressed in a black and white suit with a grey standard Duel Disk with green gemstones on his right arm. He had a grey metallic eyepiece that covered his right eye while his left red eye was exposed, but had a scar running down his cheek, and a triangular green circuitry-filled gem on his forehead. He also had some metallic armor around his neck and around his hips where the Masked Dueler saw the sheath of a sword.

The Masked Dueler naively thought at first the man was cosplaying as a futuristic knight, but the eyepiece on his face told her more than enough who he was. "Are you Primo?"

"Who told you?" Primo retorted nonchalantely.

"No one, but I'm here to stop you from harming my friend!"

"Your friend…", Primo mumbled before a wicked grin grew on his lips. "So you are affiliated with the Priestess and the Signers?"

The Masked Dueler didn't answer as she raised her left arm with her Duel Disk. "As the Masked Dueler, I challenge you to a Duel! If I win, you leave Estelle and her friends alone!"

Primo chuckled unamusingly. "You seriously think you have a chance against one of the Three Pure Nobles? Don't make me laugh, child. But if you insist…" He raised his left arm and activated his Duel Disk. "I'll crush you in the same way that my Ghosts will crush New Domino City."

"That will never happen if I defeat you!" the Masked Dueler growled as she raised her left arm and activated her Duel Disk.

"Duel!" both of them yelled.

**Masked Dueler: 4000 LP**

**Primo: 4000 LP**

A bright white infinity icon appeared on the ground around Primo and the Masked Dueler that the vigilante noticed. The icon glowed for a mere second before it vanished.

"What was that…?" the Masked Dueler mumbled to herself as she drew her first five cards.

"You'll find out soon enough", Primo chuckled darkly as he drew his first five cards.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

At the same time as the Duel began, Estelle was sitting in her bed and reading a book when her Star Mark suddenly started to glow. She looked down on her right arm in surprise as it glowed for a few more seconds before calming down.

"Vad var det… **(What was that…?)**" the brunette mumbled.

"_**Your young friend is in grave danger**_", the voice of the Crimson Dragon spoke in the woman's head.

"Young friend…?" Estelle said confusedly before her eyes widened in shock. "Is it Leo or Luna?!"

"_**No, but someone affiliated with them. She is Dueling one of the Three Pure Nobles to protect you.**_"

"She?" Estelle's head was half-asleep, so she had a hard time thinking of who could be Dueling someone from Illiaster, but she rushed to her wardrobe to change her clothes. "Whoever it is, I have to stop them!"


	2. Part 2

**The Duel is completely original, but it took a whole day to come up with it. I think it paid off, so enjoy the Duel!**

**P.S.! I added a small Easter egg in this chapter. Can you find it? :)**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs! Miyuki Inoue belongs to Springflowerangel!

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"Ladies first! I draw!" the Masked Dueler drew her sixth card and added it to her hand.

She looked through the cards she had drawn. She had One for One, Fairy Archer, Goddess of Whim, Draining Shield, and Dark Magician. The sixth card she had drawn was Shiba-Warrior Taro.

"I summon Fairy Archer in attack mode!" the vigilante called.

A human-sized female fairy flew out from a gate and spun around for a second. She was dressed in a dark blue top with a deep cut in the middle, revealing her cleavage and stomach, a dark blue bikini bottom that was half-covered with a skirt of green leaves, dark blue boots, and a pair of light blue frilly gloves. She had four golden and red wings on her back while she held a red and golden bow in her right hand.

**Fairy Archer, Level 3: ATK 1400**

"I activate Fairy Archer's effect! During my Main Phase, I can inflict 400 points of damage to you for each LIGHT Monster I control, and since Fairy Archer is a LIGHT Monster, take your first damage!"

Fairy Archer used her power to create an arrow and loaded her bow with it. She took aim and fired the arrow on Primo. The man used his Duel Disk to shield himself, but the impact caused an explosion around him.

**Masked Dueler: 4000 LP**

**Primo: 4000 LP – 3600 LP**

The Masked Dueler noticed how the smoke of the explosion smelled a bit too real. Once the smoke dispersed, she saw how Primo stood tall, but his Duel Disk had a scratch on it that wasn't there before. She shrugged and grabbed her Trap card.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn", she finished her turn as she put Draining Shield facedown.

"My turn", Primo called as he drew his sixth card. "I summon Wise Core in defense mode."

A white futuristic egg-like machine appeared on the field.

**Wise Core, Level 1: DEF 0**

"Next, I place one facedown and end my turn", Primo said as a facedown card appeared on his side of the field. "Your move, Masked Dueler."

"I draw!" the masked girl called as she drew Magician of Faith. "I summon Goddess of Whim in attack mode!"

A woman-like Duel Monster appeared on the field next to Fairy Archer. She had peach skin, long green hair that was made of leaves and vines, and dressed in an emerald green dress and a navy blue dual bracelet on her right wrist.

**Goddess of Whim, Level 3: ATK 950**

"Next, I play One for One! I send Magician of Faith from my hand to the Graveyard to Special summon the Tuner Monster, Buten, from my Deck!"

The Masked Dueler discarded her fresh-drawn card while her Duel Disk shuffled her Deck for a brief second. Once it was done, it had one card ejected, which she grabbed and confirmed it was the card she had declared. She put it on the Duel Disk, causing a new gate to open on the field. Buten looked like a small pink pig with tiny hands and feet, a small curl, and a pair of tiny white angel wings on its back.

**Buten, Level 1, Tuner: ATK 200**

"I activate Fairy Archer's effect! Same as before; you take 400 points of damage for each LIGHT Monster, and now I've got three of them! Prepare for a massive hit of 1200 points of damage!"

Fairy Archer loaded her bow and fired another arrow on Primo. The young man grunted as he took the hit, but once again shielded himself with his Duel Disk.

**Masked Dueler: 4000 LP**

**Primo: 3600 LP – 2400 LP**

The Masked Dueler grinned softly to herself. Things were going pretty good. Now, it was time to take care of the weird Wise Core egg.

"It's time to battle! Because Fairy Archer used her effect, she can't battle this turn, but my other two Monsters can! Go, Buten, destroy that machine egg!"

Buten let out a determined noise before it charged towards Wise Core, ready to crack it open and send it to the Graveyard.

"Not so fast!" Primo yelled. "I play my Trap; Negate Attack! It cancels your Monster's attack and the Battle Phase is over."

The Masked Dueler growled as Buten halted its move and floated back to her side of the field as the Battle Phase was over, but it was okay. She had a plan.

"That's fine, because now I tune Level 1 Buten with Level 3 Fairy Archer and Level 3 Goddess of Whim to Synchro summon my faithful warrior!"

Buten turned into a tuning ring, which the other two Monsters flew into before fusing into one bright light.

"Come and join us, Lightning Warrior!"

A big humanoid Duel Monster clad in silvery armor appeared on the field once the light died down. Its head looked like a lion wearing a metallic facemask while his long blonde hair flew around him. It had a crimson skirt-like cloth wrapped around his waist to cover the area by the pelvis.

**Lightning Warrior, Level 7: ATK 2400**

"I end my turn, but next time I'll smash your egg", the Masked Dueler threatened.

Primo just chuckled deeply and amusingly, which caught the girl's attention. "What are you laughing at?" she questioned.

"You've just concealed your doom", Primo replied as he drew a card. "I play Offerings to the Doomed! I can choose one face-up Monster on the field and destroy it, but the small price to pay is I have to skip my next Draw Phase."

The Masked Dueler's exposed eye widened in fear. She knew the man was going to use the Quick-Play Spell card to destroy her Synchro Monster.

"I destroy my Wise Core!"

"What?!" the female Duelist yelled in disbelief as she watched Wise Core shattering into pieces. "Why would you destroy your own Monster?"

"Because when it get destroyed by a card effect, I can Special summon my ace Monster and all its parts from my Deck", Primo grinned darkly. "Behold the extermination of Synchro Monsters!"

The Masked Dueler watched in awe and shock as five machine parts appeared on the field. Two of them turned into arms and two other parts unfolded into legs before connecting themselves to the fifth part that served as the torso with an infinity icon and a green glowing orb inside of the hollow torso. A head and a neck came out from the torso part before it stood tall. It was massive that it could cover the whole field and more if it lied down on the ground.

**Meklord Emperor Wisel, Level 1: ATK 0**

**Wisel Top, Level 1: ATK 500**

**Wisel Attack, Level 1: ATK 1200**

**Wisel Guard, Level 1: ATK 0**

**Wisel Carrier, Level 1: ATK 800**

"What…is that…?" the Masked Dueler asked in fear, watching the Monster with big eyes.

"Your demise, little flower", Primo chuckled darkly. "Meklord Emperor Wisel gains the total attack points from all his parts, so he has 2500 attack points."

**Meklord Emperor Wisel, Level 1: ATK 0 – ATK 2500**

"But that's not the best part", Primo continued. "I activate Meklord Emperor Wisel's effect! Once per turn, he can equip a Synchro Monster my opponent controls and gain said Monster's attack points!"

"He can what?!" the Masked Dueler exclaimed.

Meklord Emperor Wisel's face glowed before it opened its torso and shot several green energy binds on Lightning Warrior. They were wrapped around his arms and legs before the machine Monster pulled him towards it. Lightning Warrior fought against the binds, but it was no once. The Masked Dueler could only watch in fear as Lightning Warrior got absorbed into Meklord Emperor Wisel's torso. The Monster released a noise that sounded like a machine powering up.

**Meklord Emperor Wisel, Level 1: ATK 2500 – ATK 4900**

"No! Lightning Warrior!" the girl cried in shock.

"You should've run while you had your chance!" Primo laughed. "Now, go, Wisel! Destroy this pathetic excuse of a Duelist!"

Meklord Emperor Wisel raised its left arm with a long and sharp dagger before diving towards the Masked Dueler. The girl panicked for a second before she remembered her facedown card.

"I activate my Trap; Draining Shield! This card negates your Meklord's attack while I gain the battle damage as Life Points!"

A white force field appeared around the masked girl before Meklord Emperor Wisel clashed its dagger against it. Sparks flew everywhere as the force of the impact caused the girl's hair to ruffle violently. Once the attack was over, the huge machine Monster floated back as the girl's body was enveloped in a warm aura thanks to the Trap card.

**Masked Dueler: 4000 LP – 8900 LP**

**Primo: 2400 LP**

"Clever move, but it'll take more to stop me", Primo said, unamused. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."

"My turn!" the Masked Dueler called as she drew Magician's Valkyria. "I summon Magician's Valkyria in attack mode!"

A young girl Duel Monster appeared on the field with a wand in her hand. On the first glance, she looked just like Dark Magician Girl, but she was not. Her hair was longer than the other Duel Monster and it was dirty brown colored and parts of her outfit, especially her skirt, was modified to be longer and purple-colored instead of being pink.

**Magician's Valkyria, Level 4: ATK 1600**

The Masked Dueler had to stop and think for a moment. Meklord Emperor Wisel itself was too strong to defeat, but its other parts were counted as Monsters too, so she had to strike at the weakest part and, hopefully, cause some damage.

"Valkyria, destroy Wisel Guard!"

Magician's Valkyria grunted as she flew towards Wisel Guard, bringing her wand up to use it as a weapon.

"I activate my Trap; Wise G3!" Primo quickly called. "I send Wisel Guard to the Graveyard and give Meklord Emperor Wisel a little boost-up with Wisel Guard 3 from my hand with 2000 defense points!"

Meklord Emperor Wisel's right arm was removed from the main body before it shattered into pieces. The remaining pieces formed into an improved version of Wisel Guard and floated next to the Meklord Emperor instead of unfolding the arm and connect itself to the body.

**Wisel Guard 3, Level 3: DEF 2000**

"Valkyria, stop!" the female Duelist called quickly before her Monster could destroy herself.

The spellcaster stopped herself at the right time, just inches away from Wisel Guard 3, before flying back to the field. The Masked Dueler sighed in relief that she stopped the attack in time.

"I end my turn."

"Good", Primo said nonchalantely as he skipped the Draw Phase. "Meklord Emperor Wisel, destroy Magician's Valkyria!"

The Meklord Emperor raised its left arm again and successfully slashed the spellcaster with its dagger. Magician's Valkyria cried in pain before shattering into pieces that flew right on the Masked Dueler's face.

**Masked Dueler: 8900 LP – 5600 LP**

**Primo: 2400 LP**

The female Duelist did her best to shield herself from the pieces with her arms, but she realized the damage was actually real. She felt the energy pieces slash her clothes and hair, and one even hit her mask, causing a crack on it. She knew this wasn't normal. Solid Vision wasn't supposed to make damage real, unless…

"That infinity mark from before… Did that somehow turn damage into real?" she mumbled to herself.

"That's right, little flower", Primo chuckled, getting the girl's attention. "Whenever one of the Three Pure Nobles Duel, we intend to make the Duels a bit more…realistic for the excitement."

"Who exactly are you…?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? I place one card facedown and end my turn."

The Masked Dueler was now wondering if she had made the wrong decision. This Primo and the Three Pure Nobles were obviously on a whole different level than she was used to Duel with. They meant serious business, and to have the power to manipulate the Solid Vision effect and the Monster that could absorb Synchro Monsters…

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts. She still had a chance if she managed to stay in the game. She just had to try Dueling without her Synchro Monsters and rely on some of her strongest and favorite cards instead.

"I draw", the girl called as she drew Pot of Greed. "I play Pot of Greed to draw two more cards." She drew the next two cards that were Kuribon and Dark Magician Girl. "I summon Shiba-Warrior Taro in defense mode!"

A Shiba Inu Monster ran out from a gate and stood in front of the Masked Dueler to try protecting her. It had a dark green bandana with swirl-like pattern, and a sheath strapped around its torso in which it had a bone as a weapon.

**Shiba-Warrior Taro, Level 2, Tuner: DEF 600**

"With that, I end my turn."

"Did you really think the human's best friend can protect you?" Primo snorted as he drew a card. "Meklord Emperor Wisel, get rid of the puppy!"

The Meklord Emperor dived towards Shiba-Warrior Taro and hit it with its dagger, but it was like a body hitting concrete. The dog Monster just stood there, unamused, as the tip of the dagger bounced off of it.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Primo growled as the dog Monster didn't explode into pieces.

"Shiba-Warrior Taro can't be destroyed by battle", the Masked Dueler explained with a soft laugh. "Try beating that for a change."

Primo held back another growl before calming down. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."

"I draw!" the pinkette called as she drew A Feather of the Phoenix. "I sacrifice Shiba-Warrior Taro to Tribute summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Shiba-Warrior Taro transformed into a rainbow-colored orb that shapeshifted into the feminine figure of Dark Magician Girl. The spellcaster winked before floating in front of the Masked Dueler.

**Dark Magician Girl, Level 6: DEF 1700**

"I play my Trap; Gravity Bind!" Primo suddenly called as said card flipped up. "Level 4 or higher Monsters can't attack as long as this stays up!"

The Trap card released a light that covered the whole Duel field, changing the gravity a bit. Dark Magician Girl grunted in slight pain as the changed gravity forced her down to the ground.

"I continue my turn by playing A Feather of the Phoenix!" the female Duelist called. "I send my last card from my hand to the Graveyard to choose one of my cards in there and add it on top of my Deck. I choose Fairy Archer!" She sent Dark Magician from her hand to the Graveyard before the Duel Disk pulled out the card of Fairy Archer, which the girl grabbed and put on top of her Deck facedown. "I end my turn."

"I admire your courage that you're trying to stay alive in this Duel", Primo commented as he drew a card. "But, at some point, you'll crash and fall. Meklord Emperor, destroy Dark Magician Girl!"

The Meklord Emperor slashed the poor spellcaster into pieces, but this time the Masked Dueler didn't have to take damage, much in her relief.

"I end my turn, but I can already predict your next move."

"Sure you can", the female Duelist said sarcastically as she drew her next card. "I summon Fairy Archer in defense mode!"

The fairy Monster with butterfly wings returned to the field.

**Fairy Archer, Level 3: DEF 600**

"I activate her effect! You take 400 points of damage."

Fairy Archer fired a third arrow and hit Primo with it, causing another small explosion.

**Masked Dueler: 5600 LP**

**Primo: 2400 LP – 2000 LP**

The pinkette noticed how Primo started looking a bit weak and his outfit had scratches on it and the cloak was a bit torn, revealing more grey hair.

"I end my turn."

"You're very stubborn", Primo commented as he drew a new card. "My turn."

He was about to give orders to Meklord Emperor Wisel when both Duelists heard the noise of Duel Runners approaching them. "Is it Sector Security?" the Masked Dueler questioned.

Primo grinned darkly. "It seems we'll have some spectators at the last part of the Duel."

Several Duel Runners appeared from a corner and braked meters away from the field. The female Duelist gaped in surprise when she saw it was Estelle, Yusei, Jack, Crow, and Akiza driving their Duel Runners, but what really made her nervous was Leo and Luna were with them. Luna sat behind Estelle while Leo sat behind Crow on the Duel Runners.

Estelle pushed up the visor of her helmet, glaring at Primo angrily. "Primo, what do you think you're doing, Dueling an innocent child like this?!"

"Yeah, that's really low of you, even as a bad guy!" Crow nodded, frustrated.

Primo shrugged nonchalantly. "I gave her a chance to leave, but she insisted, saying she wanted to protect you Signers and Priestess."

"Wait… How does she know about us?" Jack questioned as he and the others got off the Runners and removed the helmets.

Leo removed his helmet before he took a closer look at the pinkette. "Hey… Why does that girl remind me of Miyuki?"

The masked girl felt her heart beating rapidly as she feared her identity was going to be exposed. Luckily, the group was on her right side, so they couldn't see her exposed eye.

"Leo, that can't be her", Luna retorted. "Miyuki would never do something stupid and walk around in the middle of the night just to Duel."

"Y-Yeah, but…", Leo hesitated.

The female Duelist felt the sweat accumulating around her face underneath the mask. She was getting afraid that if she revealed her true self, the twins and her friends were going to be so disappointed in her and they would probably leave her.

No… They weren't that low. They would surely understand if she explained everything to them in the end. She couldn't back down now. She shouldn't be afraid. Right now, she was the Masked Dueler, not Miyuki Inoue!

"The girl looks like the rumored Masked Dueler", Akiza spoke up.

"The Masked Dueler?" Crow questioned.

"I heard about her even back when I used to be the Black Rose Witch", the teen girl explained. "Despite her young age, she could defeat anyone in the underground Duels. They're also saying she has Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl in her Deck."

"Really?! Those are Yugi Mutou's signature Monsters!" Leo exclaimed in excitement as his eyes shone bright in admiration at the Masked Dueler. "Oh man, I wish I was the one Dueling her right now!"

The pinkette blushed underneath her mask as she felt her heart beat with a gentle feeling. Getting a compliment from Leo always brightened her darkest days, especially since she had a crush on him.

"Primo, if you want to Duel someone, it should be one of us, not a child who has nothing to do with this war!" Yusei yelled.

"It's too late to stop the Duel now, Yusei Fudo", Primo retorted. "Now, stand aside and watch as my Meklord Emperor will cut open this little flower."

The Meklord Emperor swung its attacking arm and slashed Fairy Archer into pieces, causing her to shriek before getting destroyed.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn. Your move, Masked Dueler", Primo said tauntingly. "Try to protect yourself in the next turn."

The masked girl growled softly underneath the mask before drawing a card. "I draw. And I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Lightning Warrior! That way, your Monster won't have the extra attack points!"

The Spell card appeared on the field before it released a typhoon that traveled towards the Meklord Emperor's chest. The typhoon hit it on its chest, causing the infinity emblem to open up and release Lightning Warrior. The Synchro Monster seemed to smile in relief before it shattered into pieces.

**Meklord Emperor Wisel, Level 1: ATK 4900 – ATK 2500**

"Alright!" Leo cheered joyfully. "She managed to lower the Meklord Emperor's attack points!"

"But she's completely defenseless!" Estelle said worriedly. "She doesn't have a single Monster on the field!"

The Masked Dueler cold sweated as she knew she couldn't block the next attack, but she still had enough Life Points to survive Primo's next turn. "I end my turn…"

"The Priestess is correct", Primo chuckled as he drew a card. "I activate my Trap; Wise A3! Just like with Wise G3, I remove Wisel Attack to replace it with Wisel Attack 3 from my hand!"

The left arm detached itself from the machine Monster's body and shattered into pieces, only for the remains to shapeshift into the new arm that didn't have a dagger like on the last arm. Wisel Attack 3 unfolded itself and attached itself on the Meklord Emperor as it released a soft boost-up noise.

**Wisel Attack 3, Level 3: ATK 1600**

**Meklord Emperor Wisel, Level 1: ATK 2500 – ATK 2900**

"It's time to show no mercy! Go, Meklord Emperor Wisel! Attack the flower!" Primo commanded.

The Meklord Emperor didn't hesitate for a second as it clenched its left hand into a fist and punched the ground in front of the female Duelist. The ground broke and giant blocks of concrete flew around her. She tried to shield herself again, but the small and heavy debris hit her hard. She even had to run away when a huge concrete was about to smash her into a pancake.

**Masked Dueler: 5600 LP – 2700 LP**

**Primo: 2000 LP**

The Masked Dueler crashed on her stomach, suddenly feeling exhausted and drained of energy. This Duel had taken a huge toll on her and her body was giving her the signs to stop before she could collapse. She heard a loud gasp from the twins and the others. She turned slowly to them, but she now noticed how they stared at her in shock and disbelief. It was then she realized her mask had been ripped in half and laid broken on the ground in front of her.

"M-M-Miyuki…?" Leo gaped in disbelief.

Estelle turned pale in shock as her widen eyes couldn't move from the pinkette. "M-Miyuki… Why…?"

Miyuki pushed herself up on her elbows and knees as her body ached by the pain from the bruises she had received throughout the Duel. "I… I eavesdropped on you and the guys the day in the garden…"

Luna and Leo were about to run to her when Crow and Akiza stopped them by grabbing their shoulders. "Hey, what're you doing?! Let go of me, Crow!" Leo growled as he struggled against the Blackwing Duelist.

"Miyuki need our help!" Luna added as she struggled against Akiza's grip.

"No!" Miyuki yelled, causing the twins to stop their struggle, while she slowly got up on her feet. "I can…still fight."

"Don't be a fool!" Jack shouted irritably. "You don't know what this Monster is capable of!"

Miyuki glared at the blonde Signer. "I'm still not going to give up! I promised I'll protect my friends and New Domino City from the invasion!"

"Miyuki…", Estelle mumbled worriedly.

Yusei wrapped an arm around the brunette's shoulders and pulled her close to him as he knew she was worried about the pinkette. The two females had grown close during the last few weeks and Estelle was always worried about her friends getting hurt, Signers and non-Signers alike.

Miyuki turned to Primo who had watched the whole thing unamused. "Is it my turn?"

"Go on, but nothing will help you", the Meklord Emperor Duelist said with a dark grin.

Miyuki drew a card, which, luckily, was a Monster card. "I summon Ebon Magician Curran in defense mode!"

A small girl with long light brown hair and eyes, and pale skin appeared on the field. She was dressed in a black gothic-Lolita dress with a white skirt underneath the dress that had some blue edges. She had a blue ribbon around the neck with a golden bell, a pair of black boots, and a puffy black hat that had a pair of rabbit ears. She held a pink whip in her right hand as she glared at the machine Monster.

**Ebon Magician Curran, Level 2: DEF 0**

"I end my turn", Miyuki called.

Primo started chuckling before he erupted into an amused and dark laugh. Miyuki got a chill by the laugh, knowing it wasn't something good, but she didn't know what.

"Foolish little girl!" Primo said as he drew a card. "While Meklord Emperor Wisel has Wisel Attack 3 attached, he can inflict piercing damage when he attacks a defense position Monster!"

"What?!" Miyuki gasped in shock.

"Run, Miyuki!" Luna cried.

"You're going to get hurt!" Leo added worriedly.

"You can't run away from the Duel you so kindly initiated, Masked Dueler!" Primo called. "Meklord Emperor Wisel, end this Duel!"

The Meklord Emperor swung its clenched fist and punched Ebon Magician Curran down into the ground, shattering her into pieces. The fist dug itself into the already destroyed ground and caused more loose debris to fly around. The concrete broke underneath Miyuki's feet, which she didn't react on in time, and cried in fear as smoke enveloped around her.

"MIYUKI!" Estelle cried desperately before she ripped herself out of Yusei's arm and rushed towards the field.

The Signers called the brunette's name, but she ignored them as she rushed into the smoke. She started coughing as she breathed in the dirty air, but she tried to fan it away while looking for the pinkette. The smoke faded to reveal Miyuki lying on her side on the crushed ground with her cards spread around her. Her face was full of scratches and bruises while her clothes had some dirt and were a bit torn, as a result of the realistic attacks.

**Masked Dueler: 2700 LP – 0 LP**

**Primo: 2000 LP**

Estelle knelt down next to the fallen Duelist and carefully wrapped her arms around her to bring the child close to her, holding her in a way that reminded one of how a mother held her infant in a protective way.

"Miyuki!" the twins cried as Crow and Akiza let go of them, letting them run over to their fallen friend.

Primo laughed loud and darkly as if he had just watched a very bad comedy while Meklord Emperor Wisel faded now that the Duel was over. "What a pathetic girl! You Signers are a bigger challenge than this sorry excuse of a Duelist!"

"Shut up, Primo!" Crow growled angrily. "You should never be so cruel and violent toward a little kid, and that includes the twins!"

"Yeah! Now that the Duel is over, get the hell outta here!" Jack yelled with a glare, pointing in a direction to tell the Pure Noble to leave.

Primo shrugged before he unsheathed his sword. "Before I depart…" He cast an eye at Estelle who had full attention on Miyuki while Akiza and Yusei stood around her. "You've got three more days to hand the Priestess over to Illiaster before the invasion. Until then."

He swung his sword and ripped the air to create a white-glowing gate, big enough for him to walk into it. Once he was inside of the gate, it closed with a soft light, leaving an eerie feeling in the air after the threat.

Miyuki grunted softly before she opened her eyes exhaustedly. "Miyuki…", Estelle mumbled quietly when she saw the pinkette's magenta eyes.

"I'm sorry…", Miyuki mumbled as she leant her head against the brunette's collarbone, feeling tears accumulating in her eyes. "I just…wanted to protect you from the bad guys…"

"Ssh… It's okay, sweetheart", Estelle hushed calmly as she brought the girl closer to her. "You did your best."

"I had no idea you were the rumored Masked Dueler, Miyuki!" Leo's eyes shone brightly in admiration, getting said girl's attention. "Do you really have Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl in your Deck? Why haven't you used them in Duel Academy?"

"Leo, don't ask her so many questions!" Luna said irritably. "Can't you see Miyuki is hurt and weak?"

"Luna's right", Akiza nodded. "She needs medical attention and lots of rest."

Estelle straightened up while still holding the pinkette in bridal style. The Signers hurried to the Duel Runners while Estelle and Yusei walked calmly to the vehicles. The brunette suddenly stopped in the tracks while the raven-haired man walked past her. When he noticed she wasn't walking, he turned around to see what was wrong. "Estelle?"

The Priestess was looking at the cloudless sky, staring at the big silver full moon with a determined expression. She swore to herself to take revenge for Miyuki and stop Illiaster's plans from destroying New Domino City.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Did you find the Easter egg? It's Shiba-Warrior Taro! Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, designed and personally drew this Monster card himself, basing it on his pet dog that was a Shiba Inu.**


End file.
